Indo-American News: October 16, 2020

Friday, October 16, 2020 | Vol. 39, No. 42

Indo American News

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October 16, 2020

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Early Voting Begins for the Soul of the Nation

New Consular Services

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Citizens in Harris County lining up to cast their votes at the start of early voting on Oct. 13. Early voting will continue until Oct. 30. The final day for voting is Election day, Tuesday, Nov. 3.

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COMMUNITY

October 16, 2020

Harris, Fort Bend Counties Set Record Turnouts for 2020 Election Early Voting

Houston: Voters in Harris County set another early-voting record Wednesday. This time for turnout on the second day of early voting.

According to a tweet from the Harris County Clerk’s Office, there had been 100,000 ballots cast by about 5:20 p.m.

That shattered the previous daytwo-early-voting record of 73,542 set in 2016.

This marks the second consecutive day of record-setting voting in Harris County. The county also broke 2016′s turnout record for the first day of early voting on Tuesday with more than 128,000 people voting.

Early voting was going smoother in Fort Bend County Wednesday, a day after issues caused major delays.

“It was wonderful. No problems at all,” said Mary Lilly.

Fort Bend County residents headed to the polls for the second day of early voting and people were pleased. It was very simple, very easy and they were very helpful and friendly to her,” said Khadijah Muhammad.

The Harveys arrived to the Chasewood Community Center in Missouri City at 6 a.m. Wednesday, which was two hours before the polls opened. -- Click2Houston

Early voting underway in Harris County.

1,000 Lights for Peace

Houston: Please join us in the 1st ever Virtual 1000 Lights for Peace and Walk for Peace event organized by Eternal Gandhi Museum Houston to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s 151st birth anniversary.

This virtual event is scheduled for Sunday, October 18, 2020 at 6 PM Central Standard Time, on Facebook and YouTube Live. Details are shown below: Date: Sunday, October 18, 2020 Time: 6 PM to 7:30 PM CST Facebook:tinyurl.com/1000Lights-Walk-For-Peace YouTube Live: tinyurl.com/1000-Lights-for-Peace Program Details: 1000 Lights for Peace is an international dance and music event dedicated to peace and non-violence.

During the event, winners of the annual Mahatma Gandhi Week contests for Speech, Poster, i-Tribute/ Multimedia and Creative writing are awarded their prizes. While watching these young winners of speech contests deliver their inspiring speeches, it feels reassuring that their future is bright.

The Chief Guest for the evening is Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Guest of Honor is Houston’s Consul General of India, Shri Aseem Mahajan and the Keynote Speaker for the evening is Dr. Michael Nagler. Eternal Gandhi Museum Houston has been organizing this event annually since 2006 to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary.

The Virtual Walk for Peace has been tremendously successful with Walks being organized across Houston, Texas and even Canada. The Grand Marshall for the virtual Walk for Peace was Fort Bend County Judge KP George. Enjoy their virtual walks!

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Indo American News Founder: Dr. K.L. Sindwani Publisher: Jawahar Malhotra Editor: Pramod Kulkarni Correspondent: Sanchali Basu ®All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the written consent of the publisher.

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October 16, 2020

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October 16, 2020

CONSULAR SERVICES

VFS Global: New Indian Visa Service Provider in US Houston: The Indian Consulate in Houson issued the following news release: 1. The existing service center of Cox & Kings Global Services (CKGS) located at 1001 Texas Avenue, Houston TX 77002 for providing outsourcing services for Visa, OCI, Renunciation, Passport and Global Entry Program (GEP) (Website: in.ckgs.us) will shut down its operations at close of business (1600 hours Central Standard Time) on Wednesday, 14 October, 2020.

In this context, the following may kindly be noted: (i) Applicants can only submit applications on the CKGS website before the above deadline. (ii) Applicants must ensure that their documents are shipped to CKGS with suitable pre-paid return envelopes in a manner to ensure it reaches CKGS by 1600 hours Central Standard Time on Friday, 16 October, 2020. (iii) Any applications received after 1600 hours Central Standard Time on Friday, 16 October, 2020 will be returned to the applicants without processing. (iv) Applicants must ensure that they receive back the processed documentation from CKGS as it will not be possible for CKGS or the Consulate to take care of any returned envelopes. The responsibility is that of the applicant.

3. With effect from 19 October, 2020 VFS Global, the new outsource service provider, takes over operations (expected from 02 November, 2020), the Consulate will provide direct limited services only in emergencies. Applicants residing in the states of Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Nebraska, covered by the Consulate General

of India, Houston, are advised to follow the instructions given below to avail emergencies services: (i) Visa: Emergency visa to the eligible categories allowed to travel to India as per the advisories issued from time to time by the Government of India. Visa applicants are requested to send an email to: ‘visa. houston@mea.gov.in’ requesting for emergency visa. On receipt of the documentation checklist, applicants are requested to carefully go through the requirements relating to the different categories of visa before submitting their applications. The Consulate may request additional documentation in certain cases. (ii) Passport: For emergency passport services, applicants are requested to send an email to: ‘passport.houston@mea.gov.in’ explaining the reason. Only after approval from the Consulate, the application process must be initiated by the applicant.

(iii) OCI: All OCI services will remain suspended till the new service provider takes over. (iv) Miscellaneous Consular Services: Request for Miscellaneous Services (Attestation, Power of Attorney, Police Clearance Certificates etc.) can be sent to the Consulate through regular Post/Mail. For procedure related to these services please visit: https://cgihouston.gov. in/pages/Mjk 4. The contact details of VFS Global, service fees details, their operational hours, etc. will be published on the website of CGI, Houston in due course.

5. Helplines: In case of any further query or assistance please contact the following helplines: Regular Helpline number: +1713-626-2148 Emergency helpline number:+1-713-626-2149 (for emergencies only) Email: enquiriescgi@swbell.net Website: www.cgihouston.gov.in

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October 16, 2020

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MEDICINE

October 16, 2020

UH Professor’s Covid-19 Nasal Vaccine Award for A&M Professor

Houston: The Unipoint of defense that versity of Houston has needs to be breached,” entered into an exclusive said Varadarajan. “Mulicense option agreement cosal immunity and vacwith AuraVax Therapeucines are fundamentally tics Inc., a Houston, TX important for a wide based biotech company range of pathogens indeveloping novel vaccines cluding influenza, seto help patients defeat devere acute respiratory bilitating respiratory dissyndrome coronavirus eases such as COVID-19.

(SARS-CoV) and the Under terms of the agreecurrent SARS-CoV-2.” ment, AuraVax has the Varadarajan is using option to exclusively the spike protein, which license a new intranahelps the virus enter the sal COVID-19 vaccine target cell, and is the technology developed by major target for neuNavin Varadarajan, M.D. tralizing antibodies as it Anderson Professor of binds to the ACE 2 celChemical and Biomoleculular receptor, for virus lar Engineering. Varadaraentry. He prefers using jan is also a co-founder of proteins because of their AuraVax. ability to induce strong The vaccine is a nasal Navin Varadarajan, M.D. Anderson Professor of immune responses, flexinhalant, like FluMist.

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, has created ibility and scalability, “We plan to stop a nasal vaccine for COVID-19 and a company to market and the absence of infecCOVID-19, a respiratory it in partnership with the University of Houston. tious particles. virus, at its point of entry “We believe AuraVax — the nasal cavity — and dent for research and technology has a competitive advanwe believe our intranasal platform transfer. tage given the immune responses is a differentiated approach that will The race for more effective and a supply chain that is welllead to a vaccine with increased ef- ways of vaccinating against suited for widespread distribution ficacy to create sustained immunity COVID-19 and other respira- and self-administration distributo COVID-19,” said Varadarajan. tory diseases has led to a broad tion,” said Varadarajan. “We are “AuraVax, being created by a UH and extensive focus on various excited to be collaborating with professor, is the ideal partner for us, protective mechanisms of action. the University of Houston and and what better cause than to ad- Based on pre-clinical work, Var- look forward to future success vance the creation of a vaccine to adarajan reports his technology by advancing the development of COVID-19, arguably the primary not only elicits a mucosal im- this novel intranasal vaccine techchallenge facing our generation. mune response, but also systemic nology to address a multitude of The partnership has my wholeheart- immunity. respiratory viruses, starting with ed support,” said Amr Elnashai, “For airborne pathogens, the COVID-19.”

University of Houston vice presi- nasal compartment is the first

research group College Stautilizes a wide Dr. Samba array of pharmaReddy is Professor cological, neuat the Texas A&M roimaging, elecUniversity College trophysiological, of Medicine. The neuropathologiEDGES Fellowcal and molecuship was launched lar techniques in 2019 to honor for neurotherafaculty members peutics research. who have demonRecently, the strated significant Texas A&M accomplishments Association of and high levels of Former Students discipline in their has conferred respective fields.

EDGES Fellows Prof. Samba Reddy has been Dr. Reddy with retain the right named a 2020 Chancellor a Distinguished Achievement to use the title EDGES Fellow recipient.

Award, the highthroughout their est honor at the university level. tenure as faculty members.

Dr. Reddy is currently researchIn addition, the faculty chosen as fellowship recipients in fields with ing and developing molecular national academies are on-track to pathophysiology drug therapies for be or have already been inducted epilepsy, status epilepticus, brain into their membership. Dr. Reddy injury and chemical neurotoxicity.

Many of Dr. Reddy’s research is a well-respected scholar in his field, as he has been named a fel- findings and advancements have low by the American Epilepsy had a great impact in the healthcare Society, American Association for industry and he has published more the Advancement of Science and than 200 papers and book-chapters.

In 2019, Reddy’s research the American Association of Pharhelped develop allopregnanomaceutical Scientists.

Dr. Reddy is a board-certified lone (brexanolone), approved pharmacist-pharmacologist and by the FDA as the first drug to has been researching brain disor- treat postpartum depression, a ders and new drug development life-threatening brain disease for epilepsy for more than 25 in mothers after baby delivery.

Dr. Reddy’s research endeavyears. His lab has been continually developing innovative therapies ors also include chemical antifor preventing the development dotes and COVID therapeutics.

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OBITUARY

October 16, 2020

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A Zoom Tribute to Raj Syal: Iconic Leader of Houston’s Hindu Community

By Jawahar Malhotra Houston: The response to the Zoom call to pay tributes to a local pioneer who preferred to stay in the shadows, Raj Kumar Syal, was expected to be huge and so it was opened up to as many people as possible. At its peak, 150 different callers had joined in, most with their family or spouses in tow, to hear the virtual tribute to Syal, held through the auspices of the Arya Samaj of Greater Houston and the Hindus of Greater Houston this past Sunday, October 11.

After several years of declining health, Raj Syal finally breathed his last on Thursday, October 1, at his home, surrounded by his family. He was 86. He is survived by his wife Krishna, children Anju, Rajinder (wife Georgiana), Rupinder and grandsons Krishan (wife Chandler) and Daniel.

People who knew Syal and of his efforts to build a strong base for Hindu activities in the Bayou City logged in from across the nation, a few even from India, to watch as the 90-minute meeting paid homage to a selfless man. Among the 11 featured speakers were prominent leaders of the organizations that Syal had helped build, several friends and his grandson Krishan Syal, who spoke on behalf of the family, about his love for his “Baba”.

The meeting opened with a welcome by ASGH President Dev Ma-

More than 150 different callers had joined the Zoom tribute to the late Raj Syal.

hajan and a pravachan (sermon) by Acharya Surya Nanda of the Arya Samaj, followed by a slide show of Syal’s family produced by his daughter-in-law Georgiana. This reporter (who has known the Syal family since 1969) was the emcee of the meeting and introduced the line-up of speakers which began with his grandson Krishan; followed by family friend Dr. Durga Das Agarwal representing India House; Beth Kulkarni of the Hindu Temple of The Woodlands and Thara Narasimhan, President of

HGH and co-host of the Sanathan Dharma radio show (and co-producer of the meeting).

After a short musical interlude, Swapan Dhariyawan, representing the India Culture Center spoke, followed by Radha Dixit, of the Youth Wing of the HGH; Gopal Rana, a family friend and Ramesh Bhutada representing the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh.

After another short musical interlude, Ravi Goel and P.C. Sharma of the Hindu Worship Society sent their messages, followed by

Sam Kannapan representing the Meenakshi Temple of Houston and another family friend, Raghunath Prasad. This reporter thanked everyone for attending the meeting and Acharyaji closed it out with a shantipath.

After it ended, a few other dear friends and fellow community leaders – Lachmann Das, Krishna Vavilala and two more – remembered what Raj Syal meant to them. The Zoom meeting was coproduced by Somansh Agarwal, and Vijay Pallod and has since

Indo-American News • Friday OCTOBER 16, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com

been edited and turned into a video available of Youtube.

As a measure of what he had achieved in his life, the following day, the Monday issue of the Houston Chronicle carried a prominent page 3 story on Raj Syal.

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MOVIE REVIEWS

October 16, 2020

“Ginny Weds Sunny”: Pallid Writing Spoils the Fun “Evil Eye”: Where’s the Horror?

By Shubhra Gupta Cast: Yami Gautam, Vikrant Massey, Suhail Nayyar, Ayesha Raza Mishra, Rajiv Gupta Director: Puneet Khanna Rating: One star West Delhi. Punjabi. Middle class. Rom-com. Keywords which lead you to the endless fascination Bollywood has for movies featuring ladka-ladki, mummyjis and daddyjis, gaana-bajaana, and shaadi-vyaah. But not every film hoovering up this template can be Band Baaja Baraat, can it?

Sunny aka Satnam Sethi (Massey) has a dream, to fulfil which, his fond father declares, he (Sunny) will have to get married.

Why? Who knows. Once ‘papaji’ (Gupta) has made this decision, ‘puttar’ has no choice but to obey.

Ginny (Gautam) is a confused soul, stuck with a commitmentphobic ex (Nayyar), and a loving mom (Mishra) who is dying to get darling ‘beti’ married.

When the title itself leaves no room for ambiguity, the only interest is in the manner in which the wedding will be accomplished: will the path to the altar be smooth or rocky? All hopes for a fresh take are dashed practically as soon as the film opens: not one of the characters is interesting enough, nor are the proceedings. You would have thought that Massey,

as the rough diamond Sunny, would be a hoot. And Gautam, who was so good in Bala, would sparkle. You would be so wrong.

And neither Mishra, who can perk up any scene, nor Gupta are given anything to work off.

Nothing wrong with the actors.

It’s the pallid writing that lets them down. There was some potential in the on-off relationship between Ginny and her ex, who refuses to let her ‘move on’ and keeps popping up at the most inopportune moments, but that too trails off.

Just like the film. -- IE

God Gifted Psychic NihaN

Cast: Sarita Choudhary, Sunita Mani, Omkar Maskati, Bernard White Directors: Elan Dassani, Rajeev Dassani Rating: Two stars A brand new film, under the joint Blumhouse-Purple Pebble Pictures banner, is based on the oldest schtick in the book: punarjanam (rebirth). Think every single Bollywood blockbuster coasting on the theme, take away the songs and dances, add in a US location, talismans that ward off the evil eye, and desis speaking in tongues, and that’s about what you get.

Pallavi (Mani), attractive and single, has a strange relationship with her over-protective mother, Usha (Choudhary). Pallavi, who lives in the US, takes to heart every opinion her mom has about her, while at the same time resisting it with all her might. Every time Pallavi picks a man, the helicopter mum begins

hovering, even when she seems to have come with the perfect Mr Right, Sandeep (Maskati). He’s too perfect, declares Usha darkly, and proceeds to prove her point.

There’s something about her mother that Pallavi doesn’t know, which her academician father Krishnan (White) lets slip when he can no longer keep it to himself: many years back, Usha was in an abusive relationship which didn’t end well, and whose impact can still be felt. So now she refuses to leave the house, battling migrainey-flashbacks about drowning and deaths.

Of the lot, Mani isn’t bad, while Maskati can’t seem to summon up sufficient menace: where’s the promised horror in the flick then? It’s a pleasure to see Sarita Choudhary in a substantive part, though. Hopefully, we will see more of her, in something more credible. -- Indian Express

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COMMUNITY

October 16, 2020

Harvard Appoints Indian-origin as Business Dean Cambridge, MA: Srikant Datar, the Arthur Lowes Dickinson Professor of Business Administration and the senior associate dean for University Affairs at Harvard Business School (HBS), will become the second consecutive dean hailing from India to lead the prestigious 112-year-old institution.

Datar will begin his service on January 1, 2021.

“Srikant Datar is an innovative educator, a distinguished scholar, and a deeply experienced academic leader. He is a leading thinker about the future of business education, and he has recently played an essential role in HBS’s creative response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. He has served with distinction in a range of leadership positions over his nearly 25 years at HBS, while also forging novel collaborations with other Harvard Schools,” President Larry Bacow announced, as quoted by The Harvard Gazette.

Since joining the faculty in 1996, Srikant Datar has held a series of key positions, as the School’s senior associate dean responsible for faculty recruiting, faculty development, executive education, research, and currently for University affairs.

“I am equal measures humbled and honored to take on this role,” said Datar. “Harvard Business School is an institution with a re-

markable legacy of impact in research, education, and practice.

Yet the events of the past year have hastened our passage to an unforeseen future. I look forward to working with colleagues and friends of the School — including throughout Harvard, in our Boston community, and around the world — to realize our mission in what undoubtedly will be an exciting new era.”

Datar will become the 11th dean in the Business School’s 112-year history. He will succeed Nitin Nohria, who last November announced his plans to conclude his deanship at the end of June 2020, but agreed to continue till December in view of the pandemic.

Datar received his bachelor’s degree, with distinction, from the University of Bombay in 1973. A

chartered accountant, he went on to receive a postgraduate diploma in business management from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, before completing a master’s degree in statistics (1983) and economics (1984) and a PhD in business (1985), all from Stanford University.

From 1984 to 1989, he was an assistant professor and then associate professor at the Carnegie Mellon Graduate School of Industrial Administration, where he was honored with the George Leland Bach Teaching Award. From 1989 to 1996, he served on the faculty of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he rose to become the Littlefield Professor of Accounting and Management and was recognized with the school’s Distinguished Teaching Award.

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HC4A Receives National Award Austin: Founder and President of Hindu Charities for America (HC4A), Mr. Harish Kotecha, has been awarded the Sandra Neese Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) for the 32nd Annual Conference.

Sandra Neese Lifetime Achievement Award is presented annually to honor people who have tirelessly worked to ensure that all children may have what most take for granted: safety, shelter, and a future and that young people without shelter may find the promise of tomorrow.

NAEHCY’s Board of Directors were impressed with your [Harishji’s] ability to transform a singular movement into a replicable program that now is established in 4 major cities.

In her award letter to Kotecha, Jimiyu Evans, President, NAEHCY wrote that, “We are glad to have an advocate like you in the field to meet the needs of children and youth experiencing homelessness – supporting and encouraging academic success – while implementing program coordination and

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community collaboration.”

Kotecha while beaming at the live video presentation at the virtual conference, mentioned that, “This award recognizes the impact of HC4A, all the volunteers, donors, sponsors and well-wishers of HC4A!” Rosie Coleman, Coordinator & District Homeless/Foster Care Liaison Austin ISD said, “This is so great!! No one deserves this more than Harish and Hindu Charities!!!

Thank you for everything you do for our Austin ISD students!”

Coming in an especially hard year, this award sent a wave of joy in the HC4A community. They now prepare for the next big event: a virtual gala in November to raise funds for vocational scholarships for low-income youth and adults.

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October 16, 2020

JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS WILL BUILD BACK BETTER

ș Expand and protect access to affordable quality health care

ș Ensure free access to COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccines for everyone

ș Fight for the resources our country needs to safely reopen

JOE BIDEN will ensure that INDIAN AMERICANS ARE REPRESENTED in his administration, starting with his vice presidential nominee, SENATOR KAMALA HARRIS, whose MOTHER EMIGRATED FROM INDIA to study and build a life in the United States.

PAID FOR BY BIDEN FOR PRESIDENT

We need leaders who have a plan for our country’s future, will invest in the next generation and value the rich contributions of Indian Americans.

MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE EARLY

By Nov 3rd vote for

JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS

TO FIND OUT WHERE AND HOW YOU CAN VOTE, VISIT IWILLVOTE.COM

Indo-American News • Friday, OCTOBER 16, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com

SUDOKU/BUSINESS/BOOK REVIEW SUDOKU/RECREATION Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

Send us the correct answer before October 14, 2020.

Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com. Please send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published.

Solution Next Week

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Last Week’s Solution

October 16, 2020

11

India’s Royal Enfield is Coming After Harley Pune: All but unknown in the U.S. and Europe, Enfields— retro rides that would look familiar to 1960sera Steve McQueen— have become in recent years a coveted lifestyle statement among young, upwardly mobile Indians. As a result, Chennai-based Royal Enfield, which began as the subcontinental unit of a British manufacturer by the same name and kept chugging along when Royal Enfield CEO Siddhartha Lal. the parent went bankmade by rivals—and perhaps atrupt, sold more than 650,000 motorcycles in India last tract younger riders to revitalize a year—a volume equivalent to the customer base now dominated by aging boomers. entire U.S. market.

It’s a risky strategy, one that Royal Enfield’s success in bringing bike culture to India’s assumes a motorcycle culture millennial and Gen Z demograph- emerging from a densely popuics—collectively, more than half a lated South Asian country—where billion young people—has started exceeding 50 mph on anything but to turn heads outside the country. a few freeways risks a fatal colliSales are rising sharply in markets sion with a motorized rickshaw or including Brazil and Indonesia, a cow—can translate in the lands places where bikes have tradi- of Easy Rider and The Great Estionally been viewed as utilitarian cape. And the havoc caused by the transport tools, not expressions of novel coronavirus could make it personal style. The company is harder still. The global economic now making a high-stakes bet on collapse will leave already cashthe U.S. and Europe, where pro- strapped young people with even ducers such as Harley-Davidson less money for indulgences such Inc. and Indian Motorcycle have as stylish motorbikes, even Indianbeen struggling for more than a made ones that start at a little more decade to expand sales as younger than a third the price of a Harley. consumers choose other hobbies. And though it’s hard to think of a Siddhartha Lal, the heir to the au- more socially distanced outdoor tomotive conglomerate that con- activity than group rides, the Detrols Enfield, says he can win over vote’s, like all other motorcycle Western enthusiasts with stylish clubs in India, have had to susbikes that cost far less than those pend theirs since Prime Minister

Narendra Modi imposed a nationwide lockdown in late March.

Lal is pushing ahead nevertheless, anticipating that the appeal of riding will only have grown for the millions of Western consumers. “I could be great in India and Brazil and Thailand and Africa,” he says.

“But if I’m not in Europe and America, then I’m not a global brand.”

Originally a manufacturer of bicycles in the English Midlands, Royal Enfield got its name when it was contracted to make precision parts for the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield, outside London, in 1893.

Eight years later the company began attaching small engines to its bicycles—a pivot that got more attention from the British military, which was looking for ways to swiftly move men and messages that didn’t involve hooves. The motorcycles Enfield later developed saw service in both World Wars.

India, newly independent in the years after World War II, was an obvious market for the bikes. In 1952 the nascent Indian Army ordered 500 of Enfield’s flagship Bullet model—“Made Like a Gun,” went its tagline—to patrol the country’s inhospitable borders with China and Pakistan. Three years later the British company joined with Madras Motors, in the southern city now known as Chennai, to form a local unit and factory. -- Bloomberg

Mystery Murder Story Set in Colonial Bombay Set in 1892, Murder in Old Bombay addresses issues prevalent at the turn of the 20th century which are very present today: discrimination against those who do not belong to our ‘in’ group, misogyny, inequality in attitudes toward women. It’s also a heart-felt appeal to the (tiny) Zoroastrian community to update our social norms--or face extinction.

Captain James Agnihotri, an Anglo-Indian soldier is recovering from injuries when he reads about a case that the newspapers are calling the Crime of the Century. He’s curious, then intrigued: Why did two beautiful and privileged Parsi young women drop to their deaths from the University Clock-tower in broad daylight? Then the widower of one of the victims writes a letter to the editor which tugs at his heart-strings. Invaliding out of the army, Captain Jim is hired by the Parsi family—not knowing that this investigation will lead him into dangerous adventures, as he

strives for the ultimate prize—a sense of belonging.

Loosely based on real events, the tragedy of the Godrej girls in 1891, the novel is an action adventure and a love story. With deeper themes of feminism and countering discrimination, it’s an evocative journey through colonial India

Indo-American News • Friday OCTOBER 16, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com

during the British Raj, describing the vibrant mix of sub-cultures and the danger of buried secrets.

Ultimately it’s a story of triumph over adversity, and the different forms that courage can take.

Available on Nov. 10, 2020, Murder in Old Bombay can be pre-ordered at amazon.com Writing as Nev March, author Nawaz Merchant won the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award.

Leaving a long career in business analysis in 2015 she returned to her passion, writing fiction.

She teaches creative writing at Rutgers Osher Institute and is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and the Hunterdon County Library Write-Group. A Parsee Zoroastrian herself, she lives with her husband and two sons in New Jersey.@ Murder in Old Bombay@is her debut novel.

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October 16, 2020

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Texas Republicans don’t support us.

Republicans in the Texas State House have failed our community.

We can’t afford to have them represent us any longer.

Republicans in the Texas State House: Supported a plan that would increase health care costs for Texas families and eliminate protections for people with pre-existing conditions like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, or pregnancy.1 Cut billions of dollars in funding for Texas schools.2 Weakened gun laws, even though four of the deadliest mass shootings in recent U.S. history have occurred in Texas.3

Our community deserves better.

VOTE AGAINST Republicans for the Texas State House.

EA R LY V O TE :

NOW through October 30th EL EC TI O N DAY:

Tuesday, November 3rd C H EC K TH E FACTS : 1. Texas GOP Platform, 2018 2. KXAN, 10/8/17; Texas Tribune, 4/27/17 3. NBC News, 8/6/19; Mother Jones, Mass Shooting Database, accessed 10/7/20

Paid for by Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund, gunsensevoter.org.

Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

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Indo-American News • Friday, OCTOBER 16, 2020 • www.indoamerican-news.com